Ingot ejector



//VVE/V7'0R HAROLD F SHE/(5L5 Attorney ,9 v & KN

United States Patent 3,212,143 INGOT EJECTOR Harold F. Shekels, Edgewood Borough, Pa., assignor to glnited States Steel Corporation, a corporation of New ersey Filed Sept. 18, 1962, Ser. No. 224,364 4 Claims. (Cl. 2295) This invention relates to an improved device for ejecting sticking ingots from molds.

After a metal ingot solidifies in a mold, the mold is stripped from the ingot, usually with a mechanical ingot stripping device. Sometimes an ingot sticks in its mold and cannot be removed by the usual means. In this event the mold is held in place by its lugs and the ingot forced out by mechanical or hydraulic means. Quite often there are mechanical failures, which necessitate breaking a mold off an ingot. This procedure not only is wasteful, costly and time consuming in itself, but it upsets subsequent rolling schedules by reason of a missing ingot and thus further increases costs and delays deliveries.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved ejecting device which quickly and easily removes a sticking ingot from .a mold without damaging either the ingot or the mold.

A more specific object is to provide a device for ejecting a sticking ingot by using an explosive force to separate the ingot from the mold.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I have provided improved details of structure, a preferred form of which is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

The single figure is a vertical sectional view of a device constructed in accordance with my invention.

The ejecting device of the present invention comprises an elongated base 10, a breech 12 fixed to the upper face of the base adjacent one end, and adjustable stops 13 removably mounted on the upper face of the base adjacent the other end. The breech preferably is formed as an integral machined casting, and it has a bore 15 for receiving a blank cartridge 16, preferably of a diameter in the range of about 40 to 90 mm. The back end of the breech has a counterbore 17 which removably receives a conventional breech block 18 retained therein by engagement of interrupted screw threads 19. The front end of breech 12 has a counterbore 20 and another counterbore 21. A slidable plunger 22 is mounted in the counterbores 20 and 21 and carries an integral flange 23. When the plunger is retracted, the flange abuts the shoulder formed at the bottom of the counterbore 21. A retaining plate 24 is fastened to the front face of the breech. A compression spring 25 encircles the segment of plunger 22 between flange 23 and plate 24 and thus normally holds the plunger in its retracted position. The breech has an annular groove 26, which extends around the counterbore 20, and a vent 27 which leads from the groove through the top of the breech. Preferably I cover the upper end of the vent with a chimney 28.

In operation, I position an ingot mold 29, which contains a sticking ingot 30, on base 10. The mold is of the big-end-down type and I lay the mold on its side with its small end adjacent the retaining plate 24. I position stops 13 against the big end of the mold. I remove the breech block 18, insert a cartridge 16 in bore 15, and replace the breech block. I then operate the firing mechanism within the breech block to fire the cartridge. The resulting explosive force moves plunger 22 forward against the action of spring 25 and thus drives the ingot loose from the mold. As long as plunger 22 is in its retracted position, it covers the groove 26 and vent 27, but when it is projected, its back end passes the groove. Thus gases genice erated as the cartridge explodes escape through the vent.

From the foregoing description, it is seen that my invention affords a simple which readily ejects sticking ingots from their molds. The explosive force is directed against the small end 'of the ingot and thus drives an ingot loose from its mold without damaging either the ingot or the mold. The venting arrangement limits the force of the explosion so as not to damage the device.

While I have shown and described only a single embodiment of my invention, it is apparent that modifications may arise. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the disclosure set forth but only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A device for ejecting a sticking ingot from a mold, said device comprising a base for supporting an ingot mold containing an ingot lying on its side, a breech mounted on said base and having a bore adapted to receive a blank cartridge, a plunger slidably mounted in said breech, and means mounted in said breech for firing the cartridge and thereby driving said plunger with an explosive force against one end of the ingot.

2. A device for ejecting a sticking ingot from a mold, said device comprising a base for supporting an ingot mold containing an ingot and lying on its side, .a breech mounted on said base and having a bore adapted to receive a blank cartridge, said breech having counterbores at opposite ends of said bore, a breech block mounted in the counterbore at one end of said bore, a plunger mounted for sliding movement in the counterbore at the other end of said bore, and spring means urging said plunger to a retracted position, said breech block being adapted to fire the cartridge and thereby drive said plunger with an explosive force against one end of the ingot, said breech having a vent for gases generated in the explosion.

3. A device for ejecting a sticking ingot from a mold, said device comprising a base for supporting an ingot mold containing an ingot and lying on its side, a breech mounted on said base and having a bore adapted to receive a blank cartridge, said breech having a counterbore at one end of said bore and a pair of counterbores at the other end thereof, a breech block mounted in the first named counterbore, a plunger mounted for sliding movement in the pair of counterbores and having a flange abutting the bottom of one of the counterbores when the plunger is retracted, a retaining plate fixed to said breech, and a spring encircling the portion of said plunger between said flange and retaining plate and urging said plunger to a retracted position, said breech block being adapted to fire the cartridge and thereby drive said plunger with an explosive force against one end of the ingot, said breech having a vent for gases generated in the explosion.

4. A device as defined in claim 3 comprising stops adjustably mounted on said base and spaced from said breech for engaging the opposite end of the mold.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,062,288 5/ 13 Maxwell 2294 1,062,289 5/ 13 Maxwell 2294 2,356,634 8/44 Von Opel 2294 2,450,989 10/48 Rees 22-190 XR 2,476,024 7/49 Bush et al.

2,629,897 3/53 Mahla 2294 XR 2,739,349 3/56 Strauss 2294 2,815,698 12/57 Burrows.

2,893,279 7/59 Haskell et a1.

WILLIAM J. STEPHENSON, Primary Examiner. MARCUS U. LYONS, Examiner. 

1. A DEVICE FOR EJECTING A STICKING INGOT FROM A MOLD, SAID DEVICE COMPRISING A BASE FOR SUPPORTING AN INGOT MOLD CONTAINING AN INGOT LYING ON ITS SIDE, A BREECH MOUNTED ON SAID BASE AND HAVING A BORE ADAPTED TO RECEIVE A BLANK CARRIAGE, A PLUNGER SLIDABLY MOUNTED IN SAID BREECH, AND MEANS MOUNTED IN SAID BREECH FOR FIRING THE CARTRIDGE AND THEREBY DRIVING SAID PLUNGER WITH AN EXPLOSIVE FORCE AGAINST ONE END OF THE INGOT. 